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By: Russell Hodges - Updated: 2 days ago
ROCHELLE — Rochelle Township High School student-athletes attending Hub Power this summer are taking advantage of several upgrades and renovations to the strength and conditioning room that were completed earlier this month. Upgrades include new rubber flooring as well as new full racks, dumbbells, bumper plates, boxes and other weight room essentials.
“We had an opportunity to upgrade our facility with some money we had available,” RTHS athletic director Richard Harvey said. “We had some older equipment and machines in our room and the flooring was depleted. We took the opportunity to invest into our weight room and the investment will be beneficial because our kids really enjoy the new look. The new equipment is safer and also more efficient and user-friendly. The kids are excited and they’re working hard.”
Nine new full racks were added to the strength and conditioning room, with the older racks relocated to the fitness room and additional older equipment donated to the Rochelle Middle School athletic department. The new full racks come with several different attachments, which allow for additional exercises including dips and rows, while the transition from metal plates to bumper plates allow for more lifts to be completed inside and outside of the full racks.
“The goal was to have our kids work in their rack and not have to go anywhere else,” Harvey said. “We have shelving with dumbbells and eventually kettlebells and medicine balls that will be available right at the racks. The kids will have a lot more options when they’re at the racks.”
The RTHS Board of Education resolved to move forward with improvements to the strength and conditioning room in December 2021. Harvey said the improvements cost around $140,000. Student-athletes attending Hub Power have been working out at the strength and conditioning room every Monday through Friday since the summer began. Harvey said around 175 high-school athletes and around 55 middle-school athletes have been attending Hub Power.
“We have a lot of kids who are utilizing the program and I think we’re going to see those results,” Harvey said. “We’ve moved away from total strength training a bit and we’re focusing on strength, flexibility and injury prevention. This program will really help develop our athletes and having our middle-school athletes come here at an earlier age will help them as they transition to high school. Our athletes are doing routines that will help them in each of their sports.”
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